Disruptive Elements is a collection of previously hard to find or untranslated writings of French anarchists from the mid-19th to the early 20th century. Much of the material presented here was translated specifically for this book, and offers up a lost thread from the fabric of history, one we find particularly vibrant. The editors do not presume to provide a monolithic, complete, or definitive story about French anarchist individualism, nor do we propose answers, conclusions, or closure on any of the ideas presented. We sought out the writings of many of the major figures of the milieu, chose those that most compelled us, and collected them here. So, a few important people have been left out: Rirette Maîtrejean makes no appearance for example (she took over publication of L’Anarchie after Libertad’s death and merits our attention).

We have set out to do a number of things in publishing this material. First, to provide insight on the lives of forgotten anarchists through their own writings. Far too little is known about many of the authors herein, despite the strength of their ideas, their prolific publishing accomplishments, and the mutual interests they share with many anarchists today (i.e., a strong affinity to the ideas of Max Stirner, a deep disdain for the Left, constantly developing theories on anarchist association, and an unflinching critique of authority paired with the insistence that putting an end to an old one should never mean submission to a new one). Though they played an early and prominent role in developing and propagating anarchist thought and action, their lives and writings have gone unknown or under-acknowledged for too long. Many of them led vibrant and inspiring lives as illegalists, propagandists, deserters, travelers and staunch individualists.

Contents:
Bonjour by Le Voyeur
The Philosophy of Defiance, or, A Pardon for Cain (1854) by Félix P…
Section One: Ernest Coeurderoy (1825-1862)
Hurrah!!! or Revolution by the Cossacks (excerpts)
Citizen of the World Jours d’exil (1854-55)
Hurrah!!! Or the Revolution by the Cossacks (excerpt)
Section Two: Joseph Déjacque (1821-1864)
The Revolutionary Question (excerpts)
Le Libertaire: the opening editorial to the 1858 debut issue
Scandal
The Servile War
Section Three: Zo d’Axa (1864-1930)
Zo d’Axa, Pamphleteer and Libertarian Journalist by Charles Jacquier
Any Opportunity
On the Street
Section Four: Georges Darien (1862-1921)
Le Voleur (exerpts)
Enemy of the People
Bon Mots!
The Road to Individualism
Section Five: Octave Mirbeau (1848-1917)
Ravachol
Murder Foul and Murder Fair
Voters Strike!
Moribund Society and Anarchy (preface)
Octave Mirbeau Obituary
Section Six: Émile Pouget (1869-1931)
Boss Assassin
In the Meantime, Let’s Castrate Those Frocks!
Revolutionary Bread
Section Seven: Albert Libertad (1875-1908)
Albert Libertad by Anonymous
The Patriotic Herd
The Greater of Two Thieves
To Our Friends Who Stop
Individualism
To the Resigned
Albert Libertad by M. N.
Section Eight: Illegalism
The “Illegalists” by Doug Imrie
An Anarchist on Devil’s Island by Paul Albert
Expropriation and the Right to Live by Clement Duval
Obituary: Clement Duval by Jules Scarceriaux
Why I Became a Burglar (1905) by Marius Jacob
The Paris Auto-Bandits (The “Bonnot Gang”) by Anonymous
“Why I Took Part in a Burglary, Why I Committed Murder” by Raymond Callemin
Is the Anarchist Illegalist Our Comrade? by É. Armand
Conclusions
Section Nine: Stirner’s Influence in France
Stirner versus Proudhon (1905) by Maxime Leroy
The Theory of the Individual in Chinese Philosophy: Yang-Chou by Alexandra David-Néel
Le Stirnérisme by Émile Armand
Section Ten: Émile Armand (1872-1963)
É. Armand as I Knew Him by Mauricius
A Picture of the Situation
The Workers, The Unions, and the Anarchists
Section Eleven: Pierre Chardon (1892-1920)
Pierre Chardon by Émile Armand
Intellectuals Such as They Are
The Democratic Illusion
Expansive Individualism
“Our” Subjectivism
Portrait
Two Attitudes
Letters to É. Armand (excerpts)
Pierre Chardon by M.P.
Section Twelve: The Critique of Collectivism
Individualism and the Social Question by André Lorulot
Reflections on Individualism (1910) by Manuel Devaldès
“A La Bastille!...”: An Individualist Looks at the French Revolution by E. Bertran
The Absurdity of Politics (1919) by Paraf-Javal
Men Disgust Me by André Lorulot
Section Thirteen: Free Sexuality and Naturism
The Naturists: Precursors of Ecology by Dominique Petit
A Polemic: On Naturalism and the Sexual Question by Pierre Chardon
The Utopians and the Sexual Question by Émile Armand and Hugo Treni
de Sade Introduction by É. Armand
The Real De Sade
Proudhon’s Repressed Sexuality by Daniel Guérin
Section Fourteen: Voila Tout

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